Marengo aldermen lose seats

MARENGO – The Marengo City Council has been transformed, after voters booted two incumbent aldermen from office Tuesday with another incumbent facing an uncertain future.

Aldermen Steven DiMaria, Ward 1, and Michael Secor, Ward 4, lost re-election bids to challengers both new and familiar to Marengo city politics, according to unofficial results from the McHenry County Clerk.

In Ward 2, incumbent Corey Brackmann trailed challenger Matt Keenum, a former alderman, by a mere five votes. Keenum's narrow margin, 131 to 126 votes, hangs in limbo, with absentee and provisional ballots still left to be tallied Wednesday.

The three wards were the only contested races on the ballot in Marengo.

DiMaria lost to newcomer Steve Mortensen, who garnered 80 percent of the vote. Mortensen, 47, is a commercial banker at Prairie Community Bank and has served as commissioner for the Marengo Park District.

Secor, the council's longest-serving alderman, lost to challenger Dennis Hammortree, who secured 58.9 percent of the vote. Hammortree returns to the council, after serving as alderman and then mayor until 2005.